Lady Acorns out to snap playoff-less streak this fall
MORGAN HILL — Every team has its demons to conquer. Live Oak’s field hockey players have one they’ve grown all too familiar with the past few seasons.
The Lady Acorns weren’t shy to talk about it during practice Tuesday.
When asked how badly her team wants to be included in this year’s CIF-Central Coast Section playoffs, Live Oak coach Gina Sanders relayed the question to defenseman Jacey Turay, who was in the middle of a drill.
“Hey Jacey, how badly do you want make the playoffs?” Sanders asked.
“Really bad,” Turay said, holding back an expletive.
The Acorns have come excruciatingly close to making the postseason each of the past three seasons, so no one on the team is feeling the frustration more than Turay and the other six returning seniors. Last year, they were part of a squad that finished a promising 10-7-1 overall (7-6-1 league) but missed the playoffs by a single point. Live Oak had an even better record in 2007 but was still left out.
“We just have that mentality,” Sanders, now in her third year, said. “It’s about challenging for a playoff spot in the last five games instead of the whole season. We need to change that.”
The Acorns were on pace to do that in 2008, albeit a game or so too late. They won five of their final seven contests, including a season-ending 2-1 triumph over Lynbrook that was sealed with Julia Hartl’s goal in the final 30 seconds of overtime.
The buzz has not worn off.
“It was awesome to end the season like that,” Sanders said. “It felt like we won CCS.”
Knowing they need to generate similar magic at a quicker rate this season, the Acorns went back to work early this summer. They began optional practice and conditioning the week after school ended.
Several players joined competitive club teams while others took part in USA Field Hockey Futures, a program that evaluates players with the potential to reach the Olympic level.
“I can’t remember the last time that happened,” said Sanders, a Live Oak alumna who played field hockey at the University of Massachusetts from 2003-06. “They really wanted to get better this summer. We focused on building the basics, working on what to do in 1-on-1 situations and moving the ball around.
“They’re becoming better players.”
And better students of the game. Sanders said her players’ most notable mark of improvement comes during chalk-talk sessions.
“I’ll ask them something and they’ll chime in right away. It shows they’ve learned and they’re not just out here playing around.”
Tuesday at Live Oak High School, the Acorns did an offense-only corners drill that showcased one of their “biggest” assets, senior goalkeeper Margaret Tanner. Although smaller than most netminders, Tanner was the bane of many Santa Teresa shooters in 2008.
The third-year varsity player is primed for all-league recognition this fall.
“She’s amazing,” center midfielder Ariana Guerrero, another senior, said. “She gets her hands up high. She’s little, but she gets the job done better than bigger goalies. She’s a strong leader.”
Senior Niki Patel and sophomores Megan Rauschnot and Kirsten Doting, the 2008 league Freshman of the Year, also have made strides this offseason.
“They’re going to be really strong this year,” Turay said. “We’re just a different kind of team. We have a lot of young players, but they’re really good.”
Five of Live Oak’s 12 veterans are underclassmen. Sanders said the young players could give the older ones a “run for their money” this season.
If the Acorns work soundly, start to finish, in each of their 20 games, playing time probably won’t matter.
“We need to start strong and end strong,” Turay said. “If we do that, we’ll make the playoffs.”
